jfmarch

My philosophy for what its worth: Vectorworks is a tool, not a lifestyle. I find it satisfies my drafting and design needs. If updates correct bugs, make the program faster, and add nifty tools/commands, so much the better. Ploppping in "customizable assembly parts" to create a building is a drafting aid, in my opinion, and not design. A designer thinks about the whole building, a drafter just draws. The only interesting thing that VW should look at is similar to what "SketchUp" does (but hopefully with a better name). By the way, the databse component works fine for me in that I add data to symbols when I draw them (doors, windows, sinks, etc.). I have seen many complaints about the database/worksheet aspect of the program, and can't understand what the problem is. We use worksheets to track symbols, indicate areas for building footprints and renatable areas, do code analysis, graphic legends, show the drawing list, indicate project contact names, etc. The only beef I have with worksheets is that they cannot be exported as a component within a DWG...

SketchUp, besides the awful name, looks like a really good tool. My guess is that Autodesk will buy it out and destroy it...

There's a nice plug-in available at Vectordepot that allows you to quickly change the view from color to B&W. I use it alot when I use the "print sheets" command. Hope it helps: VectorDepot

I'm confused by all your copying and pasting, but have a check for you. Turn off all layers except for the 2 with the plans drawn on them. That way you can see if the "original" plans align with each other. If they don't, you've solved your dilema, and means that the plans aren't drawn acurately. It also sounds like what you are doing is redundant- why don't you use the layer link feature only and skip the copy/pasting of plans from one layer to another. Hope this helps.... [ 11-08-2002, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: jfmarch ]

Sounds like the plans are not drawn acurately. If the layers are set at the same scale, and if the plans are drafted one over the other, all should be ok. If you're copying from another program, there might be a scale issue, but its hard to tell from your description....

If you are exporting to other architects, I would use AIA names for classes only, and export as classes. I know you can change the class names manually through the class dialog box. I belive you can change the names of the default class for objects through the edit plug-in dialog box. I would'nt worry about the layer names, though, unless you have an office standard for layer names (ours reflects the type of info on each building level such as 6-WALL-1, which is new construction-6- drawings info-WALL- floor level-1-). I am not sure if there is a way to globally set up the class names during setup assistant, which I think is what you want to do. Katie....?

What the heck is "Windoor"? Is that a seperate program by NMA?

I had the same conceptual problem when I first started using VW several years ago. I came from the Auotocad world where layers are assigned (usually) your AIA names (A-WALL-FULL, etc.). VW has more options because it uses layers (as in floor levels), and classes (which can be controlled at ALL layers). If you start changing layer names in VW as you describe, you will short circuit the functionality of the program (how do you attach "Z" and "delta Z" info to A-WALL layer, for example?). The way we have resolved this issue, since we occasionally transmit DWG files to consultants who use Autocad), is assign the AIA names to the classes. In this way, all walls can be A-WALL, doors A-DOOR, etc., but the floor levels still relate the the layer they are drawn on. It is very flexible when exporting DWG files, as well. I hope this helps you understand the concept....

I've had this happen to old VW8 files since upgrading to VW9. Any worksheet (text blocks printed ragged) that used "Futura Book" printed hyper condensed (Mac Powerbook, OS10, Realtech Laserwriter, HP 650). I simply highlighted all my text in each file and changed it to "Futura". Although it took awhile, and wasted some paper, it worked fine.....

I thought drawing titleblocks were symbols that you can edit(?)

I've read your post and can't quite figure out waht your are referring to. What are the "various gemetries"?

When I've used walls for rafters, it is for general visual information. If you want to show cuts or funky rafter ends, you probably have to do extrudes....

When I've tried to model some special rafter conditions, I've made than out of walls. I draw them in plan, set the elevation on the info palette, and then do a multiple duplicate. If they are sloping, I rotate then in elevation view. I've done this on a couple trellis and shed designs. I've also made them out of extrudes, but walls work easier. In than way you can show your roof object sitting on top of your "wall" rafters. hope this helps....

I think its on the "Walls" palette.

As far as I know, you can import all those items EXCEPT fills and patterns. The colored polys will have to be re-colored once you import. We usually change the line weights to correspond to AC's (for example, if an AC line weight is coming in at 10, we change it to VW 7, 3 to 1, 0 to 1, etc.) whatever yoyr line thickness preferences are. Hope this helps..

Here's my suggestion: If you need to let them see the drawings you are doing for them, simply send them PDF's of the plans. They can review, comment, etc., and let you know how to proceed. But they cannot manipulate them (yes they can print them out, but there are ways of making the PDF image "non-transferrable"). Once your work is finished to their specifications, bill 'em and wait until you are paid until you release the VW files. Make it plain in your agreements with them. If they are skinflints, they'll get the message pretty quick...

From my days working in autocad, all text was in lines, not as blocks. I haven't seen a setting where one can import text as blocks. For small amounts of text I just retype it in VW, or you could copy & paste each line into a VW text block. Pretty dumb....

The lock is called a "copyright", something that should be on your titleblock. Since architects do not provide goods, but services, they own their designs or ideas (unless specifically transferred). If someone is "hijacking" your drawings (I presume you mean taking your design), my understanding is that it is called theft and can be prosecuted under the copyright laws. Copyrights can be filed for, but once your name is on the drawings of a design of yours, its copyrighted. If you're doing freelance work, you should specify who owns your drawings and designs in the agreement you sign with your client. We often send clients PDF files of our drawings so that they cannot be modified. We always send DWG files of our drawings to consultant for their use as backgrounds for engineering layouts or shop drawings. No one ever gets a VW file (since most people use autocad they won't be able to open it anyway). If you want them to pay before they can access the file, simply don't send it to them unitl their bills are paid. Hope this helps.

I had this problem some time ago. I eventually drew a baby grand in 2D. But you might try these two sites: Vectordepot, which has great VW stuff to download or 3D Cafe which has 3D stuff. Good luck. 3D Cafe VectorDepot

I think the whole object is controlled by the class attributes you set. Another workaround could be this- What you could do is make thew window a symbol. Then edit that symbol and draw a line where the glass is and make it thicker that the window class attributes. Its kinda dumb, but it should work and not interfere with any 3D modeling. Hope this helps....

In defense of NMA, this can happen with any object or symbol or group. I don't know if the info is in the manual, but with experience one learns that any of these items my be on class X, but this stuff within the object/sysmbol/group may be on class Y (or Z). "None" should always be visible, as it is the default class. By the way, if you need to export any file to a DWG format, any symbol/group/object will be exported to the layer that they are place in. For example, if you insert a door symbol (or column), in a wall while the active class is none, it will export on layer none. To get the doors to export on the door layer, one must insert them while the active class is "door". I found that out after I exported to DWG, and then did a test import in VW to check the work. Hope this helps...

As I understand it, the Styles are classes that you can assign textures to for rendering. Since I like to see through doors with glass lights, I turn off the styles classes when in 3D mode. Hope this helps...

The 2D tool works only if the items are individual things (like lines, rectangles, etc.), or groups of things. I do it all the time with a cut section though a 2x4. But if your items are symbols, that won't work until you convert them to a group. Hope this helps.

Perhaps if you convert the particular line(s) to polylines, you might be able to stretch the middles by adding a vertex.....

We have great success (except for viewports) importing DWG's into VW. We are Mac based, OS 10.1.5, using VW 9.5.1 on Powerbook G3's and G4's. We just use the "Import..." command under File, and let it do its thing. We do usually import leyers as classes, and follow the color to line weight numbers. I've had good success importing image files, like PDF's, into VW files using the same command. As I said, viewports require extra work. We do have a mech. engineer who does not use viewports for our projects, which is really great. You might explain in detail what does, or does not, work when you try to import...